Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I need to work full time, but I also want to go back to school. I need a career change (completely opposite from what I do now) and I need to go back to get a different degree to do it.

The program i'm looking into would be 4 nights a week for 4 hours per night (6-10pm) and this would be after a full day of work (8:30-5). It's a 2-yr program.

My job now is a simple admin job at a college so I don't take work home with me, but if you've done work and school together how hard is it?

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

my sister just did it for 3 years

it was hard for her- she wasn't getting home till 9pm

but in the end it was worth it

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I havent worked fulltime and gone to school except for a few months last year but I was working two jobs and class. It was hard because I had to be at the hotel @ 6am then go to my other job @ 2pm then go to class from 6 til 10. I think thats more than what you will be doing so it wont be that hard for you.

Most of the students that go to class at night is because they have fulltime jobs. Its possible if you time manage well. Good luck!

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I did it. Granted I was a flight attendant at the time so my schedule was flexible, but it can be done - It's worth the hard work.

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

wow - it is four nights a week for four hours for two years straight??

hmm - that is a lot, no doubt. i give you credit for considering it b/c it is a big undertaking. you can definitely do it if it is what you really want - which it seems like it is. right now, i am going to school full-time and i work -- i was even able to do all of that when everything with kenneth went down. i think i surprised myself! lol!

but moreso, vinny's schedule is *insane*... he has 100+ hour weeks. between the car wash which is six days a week from 7am-7pm and bouncing around between FIVE master's classes AND student teaching (part-time) -- two days a week he doesn't get home until 11pm sometimes only to stay up until 2am doing lesson plans, school work, science projects, etc.

it is tough but he does it knowing it is somewhat temporary -- he will be done w/ his master's in education and will be certified to teach middle school and high school biology, earth science and chemistry by the end of may!! i'm so happy for him - he was, at first, thinking about medical school but decided he *had* to teach that is where his heart is.

i wish you the best of luck in whatever you do!! you are smart and young -- and now, more than ever, you can do it being that you don't have kids yet and such. ooh! my brother also went to school full-time to get his undergrad (just graduated in may before he got hurt -- couldn't walk in the ceremony which was in june but he will one day) and he worked nights as a cop from 7pm until 7am -- and he has a son! and he did it, it wasn't fun all the time but he just put his mind to it.

you always have lots of encouragement here!!!

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I worked full time and I went to law school 4 nights a week

It was rough and a long day--sometimes I didnt walk into my apt until 10:30 at night (but there were some nights I had earlier classes)

my weekends were shot with homework and studying

I did this when I was 23-27 years old and I am glad I did it then since I think it gets harder as you age and now I have a baby so...

I would do it-- I love my job and I wouldnt have it without my schooling

do it before kids!!

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I did it. I went back to school when I was 26. I worked full time (8am-4pm) and went to school 5 nites a week (6pm-10pm). I got my Associates degree in 18 months. I graduated when I was 8 months pregnant. I didnt go back for my BS till after my DS was born. It was alot of work and I was always tired, but you do what you have to. You can do it!

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I did it, but my job is done by 3 or 4 at the latest. My degree(MLS) was a lot of work but totally worth it. It goes faster then you think especially if you can do summer sessions. I finished in 2 years.

Wow what program is this? "4 nights a week for 4 hours per night (6-10pm)" for two years, that's a lot of classes.

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

also...i dont think 2 years is a HUGE time commitment--it goes so fast in the scheme of things

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I did it.

it's definitely harder than JUST going to school, but it's worth it in the end.

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I did it and it's hard. You have to commit yourself and the other's in your life have to be on bored with your committment or it will not work. You will have to sacrifice time with DH and family in order to do it. It sucks...but worth it!!!

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I did it for all 4 years of college, it was very hard but in the end so very worth it, but I was single at the time, I am not sure how it would be to have a spouse and a house to keep up with whith such a schedule.

Good luck to you, just keep your eyes on the prize KWIM

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

Posted by DaniRella

wow - it is four nights a week for four hours for two years straight??

you always have lots of encouragement here!!!

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

Thanks for all the encouragement!! I love hearing how everyone says it was worth it and was able to get through it with more on their plate than me.

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

You can do it! It's going to be very hard at first, but I swear, you slowly just get numb to the grueling schedule and just plug along. Just keep reminding yourself- it's just temporary. In 2 years, do you want to be in the same job, or have a degree and career that you want.

I did it for both my undergrad and grad degrees (5 years total) and I am SO glad I did it- now I am in a career that I just adore and it feels fantastic to be in high demand in this economy.

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I did it. I was going part time in the beginning and towards the end I just needed to finish because I couldn't take the slow pace anymore.

It was hard - I was getting home at 10:00 every night and falling asleep in my dinner that DH would feed me.

Whenever I started to break down I would just think of the semester beforeand would realize that if I made it through then, I could make it through now.

My last year I went all year round - fall semester, winter session, spring semester and summer school. KILLER! But I did it, and I did it well.

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I did it for my masters, and DH is doing it now. I won't lie, it's hard work. It's very tiring and can be stressful at times. And your spouse really needs to be on board with it, because they'll be doing extra housework, etc. to help compensate for the things you usually do, but can't now that you're at class so much. But that said, it was definitely worth it.

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I just finished. I did a 3 year master's program in 2. I went Sept through June. It was HARD but not impossible. I only went 2 nights a week and had to commute home from the city to Staten Island, I was usally home around 9:30.

Good luck

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Message edited 3/20/2010 10:55:58 AM.

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

If you have no children, honestly, you can do it. I worked full time and went to school full-time for both undergrad and grad...now that I have DS, there is NO WAY I can even do part-time...

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

It's HARD, but it can be done. When I was working full time I did school at night also, 3-4 nights a week. It didn't seem so bad. I even managed to keep going while pregnant. Now I have a baby and still do it, but cut back to just 2 nights a week because I hate being away from my little one. IT's HARD, I'm Tired,,but I have an end goal, and if you can keep that in site...you will be just fine.

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

it's hard, but worth it.

i'm thinking of doing it again

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I think it depends on what kind of program it is. That schedule doesn't leave much time for studying.

My husband went to school & worked full time, but the only had 2 classes that each met 1 day a week, so he had untill the next week to finish the work.

The work came easy to him, I almost think it was harder for me, because he we didn't live together, so I only saw him 2 weeknights & 1 weekend day a week for almsot 3 years.

It will be harder, but probabaly not as hard as finding a satisfying job without the proper education.

Re: Working full time and going to school... how hard is it?

I am doing it now. I work 8-4 m-f, and go to school monday -thursday - 4 classes from 4:30-8:30.

I get home at 9:15, eat and hit the gym, come home shower and go to bed....is it hard? Yes! but it will be worth it.

Good Luck!